Vocabulary activity game.
Download the game here: Compound nouns dominoes Places
Other vocabulary resources:
Travel/Holiday Vocabulary Cards
Useful Classroom Tip: Vocabulary Revision
Business English Vocabulary Card Game | Forbidden Words
Media/Entertainment Vocabulary Card Game Based on Taboo.
This card game is very popular with my students so I’ve created more of them to cover different topics. Below, you can download the ESL travel vocabulary taboo card game.
I mentioned this activity based on Taboo game in an older article 3 Board Games You Can Use In The Classroom, where I wrote about my favorite board games I use in the classroom. Since that, I’ve created another set of cards, this time focused on Media/Entertainment Media/Entertainment Vocabulary Card Game Based on Taboo.
Every word has three or four “forbidden words” so you can adjust the difficulty of the game
by allowing the students to use one or more of the “forbidden words”.
ESL travel vocabulary taboo cards can be used for revision, different games and students will certainly have lot of fun in the classroom.
This travel vocabulary activity can be used with other resource on the topic of travel, our role play activity that contains five role-play situations: ESL Role Play Worksheet: Travel/Holidays
You will find more Taboo based cards here:
Vocabulary Taboo Cards: Nature&Environment
You can get all three card games in a bundle, which is a great value: Bundle of Three Taboo Card Games: Food, Health, Nature
Whether you teach large classes or small groups, revising vocabulary in a quick and simple way is always useful, especially when its all done by the students – all you have to do is to give them instructions, circle and monitor.
Other resources and activities:
Fun Vocabulary Posters For ESL/EFL Students
ESL Game Compound Nouns Dominoes: Town and Countryside
ESL Speaking Activity Worksheet: Business Plan
ESL Pair Work Activity: Teenager Issues
I love movies and TV shows and I always recommend my students to watch as much in the original language they can, to use English subtitles, to watch YouTube videos, TED talks, to immerse themselves in the language as much as they can.
Nowadays, hundreds of movies and TV shows are available online and there isn’t an easier way to broaden vocabulary, improve listening skills and pick up some grammar without actually learning it.
1. The Crown: I love the Queen’s accent, the costumes and I love Churchill. Season 1 is available for binge-watching and the good news is that Season 2 will be available sooon, on 8th of December! Yay! Now I can’t decide if I want to watch it right away or save it for Christmas, so I could savor it properly.
2. House of Cards: All 5 Seasons are available so that’s a lot of episodes. And a lot of fun. We may have lost Kevin Spacey but Frank Underwood will stay with us forever. If he doesn’t destroy us first of course. He and his beautiful wife will suck you into the world of politics and intrigues. Great for vocabulary.
3. Chef’s Table: Don’t watch this hungry. Actually, it doesn’t matter. Every time I watched this I ended up raiding the fridge. It is a 3 Season documentary focusing on renowned chefs around the world. The colours are unbelievable and I love the music as well. It is great when learning food-related vocabulary.
4. IT Crowd: The British original, not the American spin-off. It’s a bit older, but all 5 Seasons are available for your viewing pleasure. This show is pure gold. The episodes are short, around 20 minutes and hilarious. You will pee yourself. And learn some English on the go.
5.Dexter: This TV show ended in 2013, it has 8 Seasons, each with 12 episodes so you will have some serious watching to do. The main hero is a forensic specialist working for Miami Police and oh wait, he is a serial killer as well. It is sarcastic, messy, violent and very entertaining. Good for crime vocabulary.
I have neglected my blog in the past couple of weeks, mostly due to my duties at the school where I teach. Staff meetings, entrance exams, school leaving exams, paperwork…and at the end of the day, no energy for creativity, or even thinking.
Hopefully, I will have more time in the following weeks and then, in the summer! (I plan to write articles and create activities, worksheets and posters during the summer holidays. Well, after a week or two of complete reboot 🙂 )
Until then, enjoy two vocabulary posters, and have fun learning and teaching English!
Meanwhile, have a look at my older articles: –>>>3 Board Games You Can Use In The Classroom –>>>ESL Role Play Worksheet: Travel/Holidays –>>>At The Restaurant: ESL Pair Work and Role Play Lesson –>>>Media/Entertainment Vocabulary Card Game Based on Taboo –>>>28 ESL/EFL Conversation Starters to Spark Conversation —>>> Business English Vocabulary Card Game | Forbidden Words
I want to share with you a fun activity which I found on the website of the Merriam-Webster dictionary. It is called Name That Thing, and that is exactly what you do. They show you a picture of an everyday object or a part of it and you have to choose the correct word. Sometimes, the object is not that familiar, like for example flying buttress.
You will have 15 seconds to guess each word and the faster you are the higher the points. The game is a lot of fun and a great way how to learn new vocabulary.
There are also many other games, quizzes, crosswords, and puzzles. Have fun!
Forbidden Words is a game card activity based on Taboo. The aim of the game is to explain given words, but without those words that you would most likely use because those are taboo – that means, you can’t use them. The simplicity of this game allows for endless variations and you can use it to teach any vocabulary you wish. This is a Business English Vocabulary game for adults and teenagers.
This version contains 27 cards, each with 5 words, which gives you together 105 words you can use for teaching or revision with your students.
Each card contains one keyword (the word you have to explain) and 4 forbidden words which may not be used when explaining the keyword. If it is too difficult to explain the keyword without using forbidden words, you can allow your students to use one or more of the forbidden words.
Download >>>> Business Vocabulary Card Game I Forbidden Words
Download Travel card game >>>>Travel&Holidays
Download Media card game >>>>Media Card Game
There is no such thing as enough role play activities and worksheets! I’ve recently gone over Travel vocabulary with my Intermediate and Upper Intermediate students and I love doing these speaking activities at the end of the lesson.
In my previous article, I included my own version of the Taboo card game on the topic of Travel/Holidays. This ESL role play worksheet contains 5 role-playing dialogues dealing with various issues you may experience during your holiday. Just cut the cards and you are ready to go.
A1: You are a receptionist of a 5* hotel. You are very polite and you can deal with annoyed guests. Try to calm down the guest and solve any issues they have. Try to avoid calling the manager.
B1: You are a wealthy businessman staying at a 5* hotel. You are used to quality service and luxury, but this hotel doesn’t offer it. The room is too small, staff is rude, AC is noisy. You want to talk to the manager.
A2: You rent out a flat on Airbnb, and you have been a very popular host so far. Now you have guests who are unhappy about many things. They want to leave and a refund. Persuade them to stay.
B2: You have used Airbnb before and you never experienced any problems. This time you are very unhappy. The flat is far from the sea, far from the centre, it doesn’t have a balcony and hot water isn’t working.You want to leave and a full refund.
A3: You work in a travel agency. Help your clients to chose an ideal holiday. Ask about their budget, preferences, and expectations. Offer advice, suggest different options. Try to persuade them to try an active, adventurous holiday.
B3: You are planning a holiday. Visit a travel agency and ask for help. Describe your ideal holiday, express your wishes, and ask about all the details. You want to relax, sunbathe and read books.
A4: You are a waiter in a local restaurant in an exotic destination. You serve traditional food which your customers don’t know. Explain what the food contains, talk about the ingredients, preparation, texture, etc.
B4: You are on a holiday in an exotic destination. You want to try some traditional food in a local restaurant, but the menu is not in English. Ask the waiter for advice. Find as much about the food as you can.
A5: You sell traditional handmade products on a local market. Praise your products, explain how they are made, if they have any functions or serve only as a decoration. Set your price high and try to sell at best price.
B5: You are visiting a local market, looking for gifts for you and your family. You like handmade, eco-friendly products. Ask a lot of questions and haggle the price down.
Download the PDF>>>>>Role plays- Travel
These little fellows are adorable monkeys indeed. At least that was the meaning of the word in the 17th century, and it also meant harlot for some time. Miniature dog came to use only in the mid 18th century.
Do you want to cast spells like Harry Potter? You don’t even need a wand. All you need is proper grammar!
